News

Excellent Infrastructure for Diabetes and Regeneration Research

The Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research (IDR), directed by Professor Heiko Lickert at Helmholtz Zentrum München, a partner in the DZD, has moved to new facilities.

To inaugurate its new state-of-the-art facilities, the IDR organized a symposium together with the Danish Stem Cell Center (DanStem). At this symposium entitled “Lessons from Stem Cell and Developmental Biology”, renowned diabetes researchers presented their latest findings.

The new facilities of Professor Lickert and his staff are located in direct proximity to the Institute of Diabetes and Obesity directed by Professor Matthias Tschöp. Lickert is looking forward to using the excellent infrastructure now available. According to him, the IDR has an obligation to implement this potential in such a way that applicable results for the development of new diagnosis and therapy options can be generated within the next five years. These are urgently needed: Since1970 only one additional drug for diabetes patients has been developed. This is due to the complexities of this widespread disease, which can only be elucidated in an interdisciplinary research environment. That is why he is pleased that the IDR, as part of the Diabetes Research Department at Helmholtz Zentrum München, collaborates with excellent diabetes researchers and scientists in related fields and is also anchored in the DZD. 


The mission of the IDR is to pursue regenerative approaches for treating diabetes mellitus and thus to provide complementary alternatives to conventional therapies. Among other research activities, the IDR is searching for active agents to improve beta cell differentiation and function and is seeking to develop a beta cell replacement therapy.

More information on diabetes research at Helmholtz Zentrum München can be found here.